Labor Secretary Solis Tours 2nd Job Corps Site

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.news8.net/news/stories/0809/648755.html

posted 08/11/09 7:23 pm

WASHINGTON - U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis made her second trip to a Job Corps site, this time touring the Potomac campus.

Solis toured the District's jobs corps campus in honor of the programs 45th anniversary. In 1964, Job Corps was created to help low income people earn a high school diploma, learn a career and land a good job. The program is federally funded and despite today's ballooning deficit, Solis says Job Corps is money well-spent.

"I was very pleased to meet some of the foster students that are going through the program because, as you know, statistically they're the ones that are facing so many challenges in our society. So they'll be better prepared here to deal with life's realities once they leave the program," said Solis.

The center's 480 students eat, sleep, study and socialize on campus. It costs the government about $28,000 per student, per year, but Solis says the multi-million dollar tab is an investment.

"It will pay back three to six times more. You will have people that may have come from background that would not have had a second chance that would have cost us more if you kept them in an incarcerated setting."

FULL story at link.

[nightrain]

1. knr. Yes. It is money well-spent. There is a Job Corps where I live, and they

provide a wonderful service to young people.